Pasta with Bolognese Sauce

When I first started to cook in 2005, a magazine featuring quick, simple recipes called Kraft Food & Family was my bible. I still turn to it for sometimes for a side dish or dessert, but after entering the food blogging world, I quickly realized that the real, authentic versions of some of my favorite foods from the magazine do not include copious amounts of cream cheese or Italian salad dressing.

Such was the case with this pasta bolognese. I must have made the recipe a hundred times back then, and boy was it delicious, but I wouldn’t find out until recently that the real thing is even better.

Just the smell of this sauce will make you salivate. The sweet carrots, fragrant red wine, and hearty beef are just irresistible, and especially on a cold fall night, you will be happy to cozy up to a big bowl of pasta topped with this delicious sauce, freshly grated Parmiggiano Reggiano and chopped basil.

And, here’s a tip: This sauce may be droolworthy, but it can quickly be ruined by a bad wine, so remember to only cook with a wine that you would drink! If you don’t drink, I’m sure someone would be happy to try a glass for you. ;)

Directions:

Fill a large pot with cold water, add a tsp. of salt and bring to boil for the pasta.

In a large, high-sided pan preheated to medium-high, cook the beef with the olive oil for about 2 minutes, until almost cooked through. Add the chopped onion and carrot and let cook about 5 to 7 minutes, or until the onions and carrots start to cook down and soften. Season with lightly with salt and pepper.

Add the wine and cook for 1 minute. Add the crushed tomatoes and garlic, and turn the heat to medium. Partially cover and cook for about 30 minutes; stir periodically.

After 30 minutes, season with salt and pepper and add the peas. Add the pasta to the boiling water. Cook the peas in the sauce for the same amount of time it takes for the pasta to cook.

Once the pasta is cooked al dente, turn the heat off on the sauce. Drain pasta, toss with a little olive oil and serve on plates. Top with sauce, and fresh basil and freshly grated parmiggiano reggiano, if desired.

17 Responses to “Pasta with Bolognese Sauce”

The way you described this sauce was beautiful. You know how to write (and cook, and photograph, and just rock my socks off). I completely agree with your wine tip…I’ve made the mistake of using a low quality wine, and I’ve regretted it. Thanks for sharing, and thank you for your sweet words on my blog. They mean a lot to me.

What a fabulous picture! I just want to stick my fork right in my computer and take a bite…it looks beautiful! I do love a good bolognese sauce…always a good tip about the wine. I think people tend to forget that from time to time!

This looks fantastic. And you’re right that the wine must be something you’d drink, although I used to think that meant you had to use a really good bottle, which seemed like a little bit of a waste. I now realize that “wine you would drink” does not mean “wine you DO drink,” just not the cheapest swill around, and something you’d be perfectly happy to sip if you had to. This realization has really freed me to do more cooking with wine. :-)

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